Vanessa Hudgens’ increasingly buff squeeze graces the magazine’s “Young Hollywood” issue, immortalized on film by legendary photographer Bruce Weber, who did an awesome job of concealing all of Zac’s hickeys and everything else.

Anyone who looks at these pictures and isn’t instantly struck with the urge to lick Efron up like a giant, mop-topped candy cane must be a Communist or something.

Efron also dishes details on the upcoming High School Musical III: Senior Year movie and other topics. Among the juicier nuggets:

On High School Musical III’s plot: “The stakes are higher because there are real decisions to be made. What college are you going to? What happens to the girl? It’s fun watching Troy grow into a man

On attention from the paparazzi: “I’m not going to complain. But it’s something I’m learning to cope with.”

On expanding his cinematic horizons: “I would never have, until now, called myself a movie buff. But I’ve found so many films that I never knew existed.”